The Drop challenge

[Ukase]

20 minutes ago, DrZeus said:

Then again... don't say that you're crippled and can't team.  Because that assumes everyone else is just like you.  A bit presumptuous.

I will say my character is crippled because it is crippled. It cannot function as it normally would if I had it slotted even with DOs. There's more than a few red enhancements at present which means the slots may as well be empty. That is crippled.

I made the rule to not team because I, personally, would never want to carry someone else in a mission. Add more players who are largely unslotted like me, and nobody can carry anyone and you'd end up in an increased possibility of defeat and then I'd have to start over. With just me, I have a lot more control and can just SS out of harm's way and not leave teammates dealing with my aggro. 

What's presumptuous about not wanting to subject other players to a crippled character? I don't get that at all. 

[Hew]

22 hours ago, Ukase said:

Catalysts for reasons which escape my logic only drop when you're level 50. So, they're out until then. 

Merit buy catalysts. I dunno if you can hit whatever number of merits are needed to buy catalysts, or if that counts (yes?)

[Ukase]

Use of merits is not allowed in my challenge until 50.

Ordinarily, I would never waste a catalyst in such a fashion, given the way the IOs are bucketed in the AH. I would typically craft the recipes, convert them to something useful and sell them, then buy an attuned for roughly the same price. With the rules of this challenge, however, that's a no-go, at least until level 50, when all restrictions are lifted. If I get that far, lol. 

[iBot]

Quick clarification question: @Ukase mentioned Ouro.  What is the rule for use of that?  I'm only curious since that would be a way to utilize higher level bonuses on lower level content.  I'm not suggesting there is anything against this in your rule.  I'm asking for a friend.😜

[Ukase]

The problem with ouro is that you don't get enhancements when running flashback content. I have no rule against it - but see no reason to use it other than for quick zone transport. 

[Ukase]

So, at level 16, I opted to boost my difficulty to +1/1. My reasoning for this was I was hoping that any recipes I got would be level 20 instead of 15. And, of course, fighting Vahzlok for Penny Yin - they drop Science or Science/mutation, and if they're a level higher, I have a bit more time to accumulate more drops. 

Additionally - and this may sound strange - but the Yin maps are mostly narrow hallways, and at this difficulty level, it's often 2 minions or 1 lt/boss. Easy enough to handle, even without slots, provided I ensure I have some inspirations in case I get into trouble. My biggest hope is for an end mod, followed by some damage IO/enhancements, followed by recharges. I figure I will be level 19 before the accuracies are dead, and then I'll have some serious trouble, as my challenge rules dictate I boost the difficulty to +1 at level 18. 

I'd expected to have more common IO recipes crafted at this point, but I don't seem to be having much luck so far. Just have to wait and see what the future brings. 

 

[Ukase]

Patience is a virtue. 

[Yomo Kimyata]

1 hour ago, Ukase said:

So, at level 16, I opted to boost my difficulty to +1/1. My reasoning for this was I was hoping that any recipes I got would be level 20 instead of 15. 
 

 

One thing I've gotten out of these challenges is that I try to push my difficulty.  Usually I start out at +1/x1, but then again I'm generally pimping out my ride right out of the gates.  Right now for, say, an iron alt, I'll start at +0/x1 with bosses.  At 10 I up to +1, at 20 I up to +2, etc.  

 

Now, I haven't gotten anyone in their 30s or above yet, and I'm going to let my conscience be my guide as to when/if I move up to x3, x5, or x8.  On some of my characters, the clear answer is *nevah!*

[Ukase]

So far, I'm having fun with this little challenge. I chose level 18 to boost, and then I think I have 28 and 38, to boost an additional +1 because I figure I'll get maneuvers pool, fight pool and finally epic armor to mitigate the increased difficulty. But If I don't get SOME kind of end mod IO/recipe/enhancement, even with an sg buff, I'm not going to be able to run those toggles. 

The beauty of Rad/Dark is the excellent debuffs. I just need enough stamina to keep 'em going. And even with AM, that's gonna be tough. 

[Ukase]

With a bout of insomnia - why I wake up at 4am when I want to wake up at 5am is beyond me - I check in and realize that the reason a lot of my invention recipes are lacking salvage has been because I've been avoiding npcs that drop it, focused more on pursuing the science origin enhancements. So, I did a one-off mission with some Tsoo, and had some needed arcane salvage drop.  On the right - where you see the inherent fitness, but can't see the rest, everything is empty except for the expired defense SO in Combat Jumping. 

I crafted a regen tissue heal/absorb/end, and an acc/end slow in Lingering Radiation. That's a fair amount of inf that was sacrificed, because ordinarily, I'd turn that slow into a proc and sell it for 2-3M. And that regen tissue would have gotten converted into a Regeneration piece and sold for 3-4M. 

Inf total is 348,953 at the moment.  

 

[ZemX]

I've only made it to 9.  Slowing down some.  Level 8 was a kick in the teeth.  Had a full tray of useless enhancements and then some.  I MAY have gotten one useful DO the entire level.  And only maybe two others were tech DOs but they were stuff I can't use now like hold duration or resist damage.

 

It's clear this would never work even close to well enough without making enhancement drops at least match the origin of the player getting them OR by ensuring a consistent pool of origin types from each enemy type.   I got a whole string of mutation/magic and mutation/science DOs from longbow.  I wondered if running an arc that was mad science related had anything to do with it or if that was just coincidence.

 

Took a chance running Atlas Park Mayhem at 9.  Even trying to be careful about ambushes I still got several at a time and needed to eat insps to stay alive.  Fortunately, Rad Infection + a small purple is pretty good protection.  If I don't get stunned.   Thinking you made the better choice with Dark Blast, but I still would have gone with Rad Infection for the -def.  AM is nice when it's up, but with that slotting and unslotted Hasten it's up, what.. half of the time?

 

Maybe I'll take a break and try a Rad/Rad corruptor Goldside for comparison.  On the other hand... a Kat/Ninjitsu Scrapper could be pretty good poorly enhanced.  Light/fast attacks with -def like Rad Blast.  +def attack that is stackable early on.  +end clicky in the secondary.  Minor stealth... hmmm.  Might be more interesting territory to run over since you're already doing a defender.

[Ukase]

9 minutes ago, ZemX said:

AM is nice when it's up, but with that slotting and unslotted Hasten it's up, what.. half of the time?

 

Maybe I'll take a break and try a Rad/Rad corruptor Goldside for comparison.  On the other hand... a Kat/Ninjitsu Scrapper could be pretty good poorly enhanced.  Light/fast attacks with -def like Rad Blast.  +def attack that is stackable early on.  +end clicky in the secondary.  Minor stealth... hmmm.  Might be more interesting territory to run over since you're already doing a defender.

So, I read somewhere that on goldside, the npcs drop what you can use. So, I used the tunnel to head to Neutropolis, did some street sweeping and got zip - aside from a common IO I could use, as well as some decent salvage. Maybe 20 isn't a nice enough sample size. Probably not. 

AM is one of those powers I wait to use before anything that can mez/stun or a boss. I've held off of the good powers like Radiation Infection because, as we're all painfully aware by now - I have nothing slotted in Stamina. It only infects while it's running. Not like it's going to keep infecting after it turns off, so I think to myself - what's the point? I do need to get it, though - and soon, and am hoping in the 20's that more IO recipes will drop. At this rate, it looks like I'll be relying on the set bonus recipes before I get an end mod enhancement or common IO recipe. 

The first character I did was TW/Bio scrapper, although for that challenge, it wasn't a defeat/delete. TW is a horrid primary, given the reliance on Momentum. I cannot for the life of me fathom how that powerset caught on to be flavor of the month. Well, for the folks who just PL to 50, I can see it. But to play it and level it up....no thanks! But the bio armor is made for this kind of challenge! I would think a stalker, maybe EM/Bio would be a good way to go. Heck, I might make one of those now. (non-challenge) Alternatively, anything Bio on any melee AT would probably be good simply for the adaption options. 

As I think about it - any blaster secondary, once you get to 18 with the sustain that really increases endurance recovery should be viable - once you make it to 18. But you'd want to hold off of Hasten until beyond that point, if you went that way at all. 

Any Rad armor should be good, as it's end friendly. 

As for my rad/dark defender, I am eagerly looking forward to getting some recharge IOs in hasten and AM, as well as moonbeam. I am using that power far more than I thought I would. I chose it primarily for the tohit debuff from the secondary to get me through the earlier levels. I miss a LOT, but they miss me a lot, too. I got a tohit debuff DO a couple of times, and even combined the first, a level 13 with a level 19 successfully, which sits in Dark Blast. 

If I have to start over, I will definitely keep Rad as a defender primary and try Ice as the secondary. No snipe, but freeze ray...how can I say no to freeze ray? Or maybe water...

[Bionic_Flea]

Just stopping in for a friendly reminder that there are PvP missions and zone events that can grant temp powers, the temps you can get from Vanguard merits, and, as ZemX noted, so do Safeguards/Mayhems.  Of particular note is an Endurance Increase temp power from the Talos Island bank mission (either side).  https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Endurance_Increase

 

PS - Staff/Bio or Bio/Staff is a great build for leveling.  All the stances really let you adapt to the situation.

Edited July 16, 2021 by Bionic_Flea

[ZemX]

4 minutes ago, Ukase said:

I've held off of the good powers like Radiation Infection because, as we're all painfully aware by now - I have nothing slotted in Stamina.

 

It really hasn't been an issue.  Rad Infection is 0.52 per second unenhanced and for that you're hitting them with -31.25% tohit and defense.  You have less need of it for the tohit part thanks to the debuffs in your Dark attacks, but it would make your attacks hit more often, which might be worth it.  And coupled with Dark attacks, you might feel like you're soft-capped.  It feels that way already when I take one small purple with Rad Infection running, even on a +1 LT.  It almost is against an even minion: -31.25% tohit and 12.5% defense.  And that's unenhanced.  Not that I'm holding my breath for a ToHit Debuff enhancer to drop.

 

I don't run low on end at all unless it's a +1LT hitting me more often and making me use Rad Aura to stay in the fight.  Even then I usually don't run low enough to be in danger of detoggling.  The bank in Atlas Mayhem got me close because the PPD were continuously ambushing me as soon as the vault was breached.  

 

Basically, I don't waste end on misses.  I rarely see less than 95% chance to hit between RI and def debuffs in Nut Bolt and X-Ray.  Also, those are pretty light attacks to begin with.  But coming from playing Stalkers mostly... boy does it seem like forever to chew through a LT.  Will be better when I can start with Proton Volley, I suppose.

 

16 minutes ago, Ukase said:

Any Rad armor should be good, as it's end friendly. 

 

I chose an Ice/Rad Stalker to team up with Flea initially for that reason on the SO challenge.  Gamma Boost at level 4 is essentially Stamina when you're healthy and Health when you're not.   So yeah, in lieu of not getting endmods to slot, it's the next best thing maybe.

 

I've tried a Staff/Nin Scrapper for a bit outside of challenges and it's nice.  Staff has the endurance discount mode and Ninjitsu on Scrappers has the +end clicky.  I would lean to Katana here for the def debuffs though, again, to combat lack of good acc slotting.

 

Haven't done bio yet.  As Flea points out, Staff and Bio on a Scrapper or Tank would be bonkers from a mode switching standpoint.  Only thing is, it doesn't tick my accuracy check box. I'd still be reliant on good acc slotting whereas Katana gets 1.05x accuracy inherent and deals stacking def debuffs.  I'd be tempted to try Kat/Bio or Kat/Rad but neither grants melee/lethal defense to stack with Divine Avalanche.  It would still help since Bio gets a mix of res/def and layered defense is pretty robust.  I'm curious to try it, but on a challenge like this, thinking it's better to go with the devils I know.

[Yomo Kimyata]

50 minutes ago, Bionic_Flea said:

 

PS - Staff/Bio or Bio/Staff is a great build for leveling.  All the stances really let you adapt to the situation.

 

It's a great build for EVERYTHING!  Least powerful on a scrapper, but bonkers on tanker, brute, or stalker.

[Yomo Kimyata]

I've been revising my own challenge parameters, partly due to commentary on this thread.

 

I'm forbidding AE.  I was thinking that it would be a way to get rare salvage, but it's trivial to run a few missions and get enough tickets to buy yourself an Alien Blood Sample.  Even easier are the recipe rolls.

 

I've also been looking more at day job bonuses.  Most offer a bonus that is so manini that it is worthless, but on a challenge character getting that extra drop is nice.  I'm specifically looking at the Day Trader, since Brain Storms will add up over time and I'd like to be excited when the RNG gives me the rare I want!

[Ukase]

13 minutes ago, Yomo Kimyata said:

I've also been looking more at day job bonuses.  Most offer a bonus that is so manini that it is worthless, but on a challenge character getting that extra drop is nice.  I'm specifically looking at the Day Trader, since Brain Storms will add up over time and I'd like to be excited when the RNG gives me the rare I want!

This may be viewed as "cheating", but I'm inclined to roll a couple more challenge toons NOW - and park them in specific day job roles that would be impactful: 
Shop keeper - enhancement bonus (mission completion) Any store
Chronologist and/or Survivalist - recipe bonus (mission completion) Ouro or First ward, anywhere
Duelist - +Max End  Arena
Predator - +Recharge   PvP zone
Cold Hand of Death - Self +res (cold/neg energy) + def (Cold/Neg. Energy)  Dark Astoria

[iBot]

Ah yes the day job boosts.  Personally, I'd think these would actually be in line with the spirit of your challenge.  They have to be earned.  They are a natural extension of the xp system of the game.  They are a way to help cover some early pain.

 

Pocket D has the nice endurance boost temp power too.  Clubber.  PvP zones give a +recharge. Predator.

[Ukase]

I left off Clubber because the Wiki said "out of combat". Who needs endurance out of combat? 

[iBot]

I always took that to mean that you would recover faster after the tough fight.  But I guess with the change to rest that really isn't as nice anymore.

[Ukase]

So, almost level 21, and I thought to myself, perhaps First Ward would be the place to go for drops that might be more tailored to my origin. So far, so good. Couple of enhancements, one DO, one SO, both usable by science origin. 
Crafted a Rooting Grasp simply because it was something useful, same with the regen. tissue and Curtail Speed. 

 

 

 

[Ukase]

Yay, and it's a level 25! And I just dinged 21, lol. I can craft it but can't use it yet. Bittersweet. 

[Ukase]

And...Warden Gorzi has put an end to my excitement. Dude just clobbered me. So...I have to think about this. The rules say delete it. Well, I was having fun with the character, so I don't want to delete it. I'm just gonna give myself a mulligan, a do-over. Yeah, I'll feel cheap and dirty. For a minute. But, hey, points for transparency, right? 

In the meantime, I'll make another character - rad/ice defender, and see how that one plays out - but it'll sit in a day job for a few days before I start it. 

[ZemX]

Yeah, the permadeath thing might not be the best idea considering the level of time and effort investment you have to put in.  Other challenges where you're allowed to level more quickly or have more perks it makes more sense.  

 

Maybe come up with another "Death" penalty?  I would think resetting the mission at the very least.  You got sent to the hospital.  You can't just rush back in and pick up where you left off.  If that's not enough, perhaps log the character off in a hospital for a few hours or a day for "recovery time".

[Ukase]

I'll just mentally keep track of it. Maybe if I get the first debt badge kind of thing. 
Fact is, if I wasn't enjoying the character, it wouldn't bother me a bit to delete it. But, I'm enjoying it, so I may as well proceed.